Warbirds

Planes of Fame Airshow – Chino Airport May 4-5

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

If you haven’t already, you should get your tickets for this great airshow!

Every year the Plane of Fame Air Museum at Chino Airport hosts a great airshow featuring aircraft from different eras in both static and flying presentations.  This years theme is “Lightning Strikes Chino” highlighting the Lockheed P-38 Lightning – one of my favorite World War II aircraft.

The flying portion of the show is May 4-5, from 11am to 4pm, with gates opening at 8am, and closing at 5pm.

Tickets are available online from the POF website HERE, and you save $5 if you pre-order through the website.  Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for children (5-11), and there’s grand stand seating available for an additional $15.

From the Planes of Fame website:

“This year’s airshow will feature nearly 40 historic aircraft performing for your enjoyment as well as a salute to the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.  Planes of Fame Air Museum is proud to present Air Show 2013: “Lightning Strikes Chino”.  We invite you to Airshow 2013 to celebrate the history and contributions of this great aircraft. In addition to many other fantastic airplanes performing, there will be panel discussions with our honored veterans.  Check back often for updates on the veterans who will participate. Also, be sure to catch the Airshow Preview Event and check out the Air Show 2013 Promotional Video!”

The shadows of the men who flew these planes grows longer every day.  We should strive whenever and wherever possible to maintain America’s great aviation heritage, and remind future generations of the accomplishments of the great aviators, aviatrix, inventors, engineers, and designers who pushed – and continue to push – the boundaries of the heavens.

The Planes of Fame website is HERE.

The Airshow 2013 Promotional Video is HERE.

You an buy tickets online HERE.

General Aviation

What Flying Is All About

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Just the look on Lainey Woodson’s face makes the whole trip worth taking.

This was originally posted over at Flying Magazine.

From the post:

Six-year-old Lainey Woodson never had an interest in flying, until her first flight on Oct. 5, 2012. The youngest of four, she was always scared of flying, unlike her older siblings.

On a clear October day, her family traveled out to York, South Carolina (01SC), to the grass strip for a picnic and an afternoon of fun. That’s when her father, Bobby Woodson, decided to duct-tape his GoPro video camera to his 1946 Aeronca Champ 7AC, in which he soloed on his 16th birthday at the same grass strip, and capture the wonderful moment of Lainey’s first flight. And her reaction, well, it speaks for itself. But it’s sure to remind you of that unforgettable feeling of what it’s like to fly.

You can read the whole article HERE.

Self Publishing, Writing

Amazon’s KDP Pricing Schedule – Some People Get It, Some People Don’t

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

In a recent article in the Telegraph by Tom Whitehead titled “Self-published authors hit by Amazon online royalties cut” he complains that “Specialist and minor authors are being damaged by Amazon’s online royalties scheme that punishes those who do not want to sell their books at knock-down prices” and “Writers who are likely to have a small readership, particularly in niche markets, are being penalised if they want to sell their books at a high price.”

Really?

Obviously, some writers can’t do math very well – or haven’t scored a book deal with a publisher lately.

Let’s look at the bottom line: with a traditional publisher, the author receives a percentage of the net profits, which means that he’s probably putting down around 15 – 20% of the sales price of any given title. That’s being generous.

Continue reading →

National Parks

Explore Yosemite National Park With Outdoor Adventures Hosted By The Yosemite Conservancy

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The Yosemite Conservancy has announced their line-up of Outdoor Adventures for 2013! There are more dates for popular programs, including backpacking trips to Lyell Glacier, Half Dome, and Clouds Rest. Family Camping Jamborees and Moonbow Photography continue to be popular programs!

From the press release:

“Professional photographers, artists, naturalists and historians lead our Outdoor Adventures to provide visitors of all ages and wilderness experience levels with an unforgettable experience in Yosemite National Park,” said Mike Tollefson, president of Yosemite Conservancy. More than 45 Outdoor Adventures are being offered in 2013 spanning the entire park geography. Each adventure is limited to 15 participants. Proceeds from Outdoor Adventures are poured into important restoration and protection work that Yosemite Conservancy supports in the park. Continue reading →

Hiking - General, National Forests, National Parks

Lottery for Half Dome Cables Day Use Permits Now Open!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

While there are up to 300 hikers allowed on the Half Dome cables per day, there are far MORE people who want to hike the route. The permit lottery is now open. If you want to hike Half Dome, sign up at www.recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777.

You can also sign up for the two-day-in-advance permits through www.recreation.gov.

From the press release:

Hiking to the top of Half Dome is one of the most popular hikes in Yosemite National Park. The iconic granite monolith, at 8,842 feet above sea level, attracts people from all over the world who attempt to climb to the summit. Most visitors ascend Half Dome via the cables, which are typically in place from mid-May through mid-October. Most visitors begin and end their hike at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. This is an approximately 17 mile round-trip journey.

Remember: Permits Required Seven Days Per Week to Hike Half Dome Cables. Continue reading →